Gabriel's Promise (Gabriel's Inferno #4)(13)

Julia gripped his arm. “I’m not leaving her.”

Gabriel arched his eyebrows. He began formulating a series of arguments calculated to convince his wife of the foolishness of her demand but abruptly stopped. “Fine. We’ll take her with us.”

“Good.”

“Good,” Gabriel repeated, rather woodenly. He reached for the soap and carefully turned Julia around. Then he continued to care for his wife, trying as hard as he could to mask his anxiety.





Chapter Nine


You should see a doctor.” Rebecca’s face was creased with concern. She and Julia were speaking privately in the kitchen.

“Gabriel is overprotective.” Julia peered across the room at her husband, who was holding Clare.

“In this case, with good reason.” Rebecca placed a pair of oven mitts on the counter, next to the stove. Her Bostonian accent became more pronounced as the creases of worry in her face deepened. “Fainting isn’t normal postpregnancy. You don’t want to be holding the baby and pass out.”

Julia went very still. The thought hadn’t occurred to her.

Rebecca continued. “A quick trip to the hospital will put everyone’s minds at ease, including yours.”

Julia chewed at the inside of her mouth, watching her husband with their baby.

“First, you need to eat.” Rebecca pointed toward the kitchen table. “Have a good breakfast, take some snacks with you. But you should go to the emergency room.”

“Agreed.” Rachel approached the women from the other side of the room.

“Okay.” Julia rubbed her eyes, suddenly very, very tired.

Rebecca patted Julia’s arm and returned to the oven, where she’d been warming a breakfast casserole.

“Holy cow! What’s that?” Rachel grabbed Julia’s hand.

“Gabriel gave it to me.”

“Look at the size of it!” Rachel cursed under her breath. “It’s beautiful. Wow.”

Julia grinned at her friend and the pair walked over to the table.

“So?” Gabriel’s gaze fixed on his wife as she sat next to him. “What’s the verdict on the hospital?”

“We’ll go after breakfast.” Julia extended her arms in order to take Clare.

“You eat, I’ll hold her.” Gabriel rearranged Clare in his arms and the baby opened her blue eyes.

“Why, hello there.” He smiled, bringing his face closer to hers. “Good morning, Principessa.”

The infant closed her eyes and yawned. And then she looked at her father.

Julia felt something warm and solid in her middle as she examined her husband. He wore a look of complete devotion as he stared down as his little girl. He was already wrapped around her finger.

Rachel cleared her throat. “That’s a beautiful ring Jules is sporting.”

Gabriel beamed with pride as his wife held up her hand for Richard to see it.

Rachel continued. “Apart from the trip to the hospital, what else is on the agenda for today?”

Gabriel answered without taking his eyes off Clare. “I’m hoping someone will address the flamingo infestation on my front lawn. The neighbors have been duly notified of Clare’s birth. In fact, I think the Russians can see the infestation from space.”

Julia snickered into her orange juice.

“We paid for a week. The infestation isn’t going anywhere.” Rachel gestured with her orange juice. “Next?”

Gabriel muttered something under his breath, but the edge of his lips turned up.

“Katherine is supposed to be coming over for lunch, but we’ll be at the hospital.” Julia retrieved a pile of napkins from the sideboard and passed them around. “Should I call and cancel?”

“No,” said Rachel. “She can have lunch with us. I think she’s hilarious.”

“She’s remarkable,” Richard agreed, arranging his napkin.

“Breakfast is served.” Rebecca approached the table, carrying a large, hot dish with oven mitts.

Richard suddenly thrust back his chair and stood. “That’s heavy. Let me help you.”

Rebecca seemed surprised by his actions. She blushed a little as he took the oven mitts and the dish from her hands and placed it on a heatproof trivet on the table.

Rachel blinked her gray eyes, slowly. And then she stared. The air around her seemed to turn to water, muting sound and causing all physical movement to slow down.

Richard resumed his seat while Rebecca served breakfast.

When she served Richard, he leaned over and said something to her and she laughed.

Rachel blinked again and turned her head in order to examine Gabriel and Julia. They were oblivious.

Rachel’s eyes narrowed on her father.

A minute later, everyone at the table turned to look at her.

She bristled. “What?”

Gabriel cleared his throat. “I just said that we’re having Clare baptized this week, before you go home and Katherine returns to Oxford.”

“Great.” Rachel’s shoulders straightened.

“I hope Aaron will come.” Julia shifted closer to Rachel, a wide smile on her face. “We want you to be Clare’s godmother.”

Rachel nodded, but her expression grew clouded.

“Please eat while it’s hot,” Rebecca admonished with a smile. She turned to Richard. “I’ll make a fresh pot of coffee for you.” She took his mug and returned to the kitchen.